The inaugural TGL championship series began with a thrilling match on Monday night, as Atlanta Drive Golf Club and New York Golf Club clashed for the coveted SoFi Cup in the first of a best-of-three series.
Atlanta Drive GC, entering the playoffs as the No. 3 seed, earned their championship berth by defeating The Bay Golf Club. New York GC, the No. 4 seed, pulled off a semifinal upset against top-seeded Los Angeles GC.
Representing Atlanta were golf stars Justin Thomas, Billy Horschel, and Patrick Cantlay, while Lucas Glover sat out. New York fielded a strong team including Cameron Young, Rickie Fowler, and Xander Schauffele, with Matt Fitzpatrick inactive.
In a nail-biting contest that went down to the wire, Atlanta edged out New York with a 6-5 victory.
Here are the standout moments from Monday night`s exciting match.
Young and Thomas Launch Historic Championship Match
The championship began with impressive drives on Hole 1 from New York`s Cameron Young (330 yards) and Atlanta`s Justin Thomas (338 yards). The hole concluded in a tie, setting the stage for a competitive match.
Cantlay and Schauffele Almost Ace Consecutive Shots
Hole 3 saw incredible near hole-in-one shots from both teams. Patrick Cantlay nearly extended Atlanta`s early lead with a shot landing just two feet from the pin. Xander Schauffele responded for New York with an equally impressive shot, landing just over three feet away, giving New York a chance to tie.
Fowler`s Chip Shot Nears Tie for New York
In the final hole of triples, Rickie Fowler almost applied significant pressure to Atlanta. His 50-foot chip shot on Hole 9 for New York nearly went in, which would have forced Atlanta to sink a challenging 28-foot putt to maintain a tie at 2-2. Despite the near miss, landing three feet left of the hole, Atlanta secured the tie.
New York GC Takes a Two-Point Lead
A missed third shot by Justin Thomas on Hole 10 provided New York with an opportunity to seize a late lead. Capitalizing on the error, New York doubled the hole`s value, and Cameron Young sank a nine-foot putt, propelling New York to a 4-2 advantage.
Horschel Responds with Clutch Putt
New York`s lead was short-lived. In Hole 11, facing a situation similar to Atlanta`s on the previous hole, New York`s Rickie Fowler missed a crucial third putt. Atlanta seized the moment, doubled the hole value, and Billy Horschel delivered under pressure, sinking a near 12-foot putt to level the match at 4-4.
NYGC Reclaims Lead
New York continued to capitalize on Atlanta`s errors on Hole 13. Following a missed seven-foot putt by Justin Thomas on his fourth shot, Cameron Young calmly sank a three-foot putt, putting New York back in the lead at 5-4.
Cantlay Clinches Victory for Atlanta
The final hole drama unfolded with near-identical six-foot putts for Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele. Cantlay successfully sank his putt, while Schauffele narrowly missed, securing a 6-5 victory for Atlanta.
